Campus Sexual Assault

Title IX is a federal civil right that prohibits sex discrimination in any educational institution that receives federal funding. This includes federally funded colleges and universities. Title IX protects students, faculty and staff who have experienced sexual harassment or sexual violence while on campus or during a campus event. Every campus has a Title IX Coordinator who is in charge of handling all Title IX complaints.

How do I report a Title IX complaint?

Most faculty and staff on campus are mandated reporters. This means that if someone discloses a Title IX offense to them, they must report to the Title IX Coordinator. Once the Title IX Coordinator is aware of the complaint, they must start an investigation. At this point, the Title IX Coordinator must make sure that the student who filed the complaint can still successfully continue their education without having to worry about any further sex discrimination.

What does a Title IX investigation look like?

Each school is different when it comes to Title IX investigations, but they usually all follow basic investigation guidelines.

General Title IX Investigation Steps:

The victim will file an official report

The Title IX Coordinator will review the report and make a determination of how the complaint will be handled

If the Title IX Coordinator determines the report has sufficient merit to proceed, they will assign an investigator to the case

There will be an investigation by trained investigators

Once the investigation is complete, the Title IX Coordinator will decide the outcome of the case

How can MOCSA help?

MOCSA advocates can provide confidential support while deciding whether or not you want to file a Title IX complaint. Unlike faculty and staff on campus, advocates are not required to report a complaint to the Title IX Coordinator. Before getting the school involved, some people may want to weigh their options with an advocate before making their school aware of the Title IX violation. If, after speaking with a MOCSA advocate, you decide to report the incident to your school, the MOCSA advocate can help you through the Title IX process.